In a highly configurable system, a specification document may define various parameters for operation. For example, the specification document for a personal computer security framework may define when a password is required (such as after a screen saver is displayed or the computer wakes from sleep), password complexity rules, whether removable storage must be encrypted, etc. For example, these settings may be referred to as group policy objects, registry settings, etc. The specification document may be a text file or may take the form of a set of options in a structured data store, such as a database.
The more complex the system, and the more configurable the system, the more complex the specification document may be. Logically and logistically, maintaining and acting on the specification document becomes much more complex when different parties need to exert control over the specification document. The situation is particularly problematic when multiple parties attempt to exert control over the same portion or specific setting of the specification document.
The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.